Turkish Süper Lig player tests positive for coronavirus

Turkish Süper Lig player tests positive for coronavirus

ANKARA

A footballer from Ankaragücü has tested positive for coronavirus, the Turkish Süper Lig announced on May 5.

Ankaragücü said in a statement that all players, technical staff and personnel in the club’s training ground were tested on May 4, and one player tested positive.

Although the Ankara club did not disclose the player’s name, reports on the Turkish media said it was Senegalese midfielder Ricardo Faty.

“Further tests were made for our player urgently. He was hospitalized and his treatment began,” said the club.

Updates regarding the player’s health will be announced, the statement added.

Turkish media have reported that the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) prepares to restart the league competition, which was suspended on March 19, in the second half of June.

Süper Lig leader Trabzonspor, Fenerbahçe, Alanyaspor, Kasımpaşa, Denizlispor and Göztepe all began having limited training sessions on May 5.

Trabzonspor said on its website that a group of first team players returned to the club’s facilities following a 45-day lockdown period.

The team’s Norwegian star Alexander Sorloth, the top goal scorer in the league with 19 goals, did not join the training session, since he has been in quarantine at a dormitory since April 22 after traveling to Norway amid the pandemic.

The 24-year-old’s quarantine process is expected to end later this week if everything goes well.